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,^«=$£@### SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# AND A GIFT SHOP. #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# CONSIDERED POOR. #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## SOME ARE SHATTERED. ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### $$ ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## $$ $$ ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# ««««««« $ $ ««««««« #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ $$ $$ @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ $$ £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# LIT FROM BEHIND. #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# $$ #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ $$ $$ @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ ««««««« $ $ ««««««« £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ $$ $$ $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ $$ £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## FLOOR. ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ BECOME STILL. $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ $$ @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# $$ $$ #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## ««««««« $ $ ««««««« ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### $$ $$ ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## $$ ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, #@£$=«^,,,
,,^«=$£@## SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ##@£$=«^,,
,^«=$£@### AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ###@£$=«^,
,,^«=$£@## ##@£$=«^,,
,,,^«=$£@# SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER #@£$=«^,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK @£$=«^,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,,,^«=$ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE $=«^,,,,,,
,,,,,^«=$£ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? £$=«^,,,,,
,,,,^«=$£@ @£$=«^,,,,
,,,^«=$£@# I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. #@£$=«^,,,
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